This is probably part of the issue. I usually will hit openers 1 week out of a meet (dl 1 week, squat and bench a day or two before). The week of the meet I will usually do some light work on Tuesday with nothing else until the meet (sometimes nothing after the DL session). You might be going too high too often (openers a few days before testing). Maybe you should try a meet prep (there are a few of us here that have done meets before that can help you out) before you do your next max testing.

Hi Aidan and skeletor,

Thanks for your feedback. I would appreciate any other feedback from you.

Aidan, a minor correction to your post. I posted on Wednesday that I worked up to openers on Tuesday. But I think a day's difference doesn't much change your point.

I also interrupted the training block to instead join my friends to max out this weekend. However, while the final week of the training block concludes with doubles on D1, the rest of the week retains fairly high intensity and volume (see below table). So I suspect you might look at this and say your feedback is the same regardless of whether I'd interrupted week eight or continued through the full cycle.

As I understand it, the approach to training in this programming does not follow a typical approach to recovery and peaking. The intensity and volume remain quite high leading into the max out week, and there is no deload unless the lifter feels it is necessary. After maxing out, training resumes as normal. So my expectation was that interrupting week eight to then go through max out prep wouldn't produce dramatically diminished results.

The thing that confuses me is how if I don't drop volume and intensity, training continues as normal. I feel fine and generally accumulate strength from week to week. Last cycle, I skipped the max out week and restarted the cycle, and training continued well. But if I drop volume and intensity to lead into a max out day, I fall apart. Maybe mental?

Here is what the final training week and max prep looked like when previously completing a cycle but then falling apart in max week. What are your thoughts?

Week eleven	D1	D2	D3	D4
	Comp bench x2 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	DL x2 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	HBBS x4 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	Snatch grip rack/block pulls DL x6 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9
	LBBS x2 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	CG bench x4 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	TNG bench x6 @10, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	Red slingshot or towel press x5 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9
	3 count bench x 2 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	Pause LBBS x5 @9, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	Push press x4 @8, drop 5%, do more sets until back @9	Weighted chins x5 @8, do more sets until @9
Week 12/max prep	D1	D2	D3	D4	D5
	work up to final warmups	work up to openers	Squat two sets of three reps @8, comp bench two sets of five reps @9	work up to final warmups	test maxes
Alternate Week 12/max prep	D1	D2	D3
	work up to opener x1 on s/b/dl	work up to final warmup x1 on s/b/dl	Test maxes

Note that all programming and "meet" prep was provided by our good friend Weasel. (Since he is looking at it from the perspective of a coach, I imagine he would appreciate any feedback as well.)

I say this because I have a history of fake bustoing programming, aka doing whatever I wanted. I've been on my own the last couple of months, but I've pretty much stayed to the coaching and programming gained over the last 18 months.

I think weasel's method works for some, but like everything with lifting: nothing works for everyone. I would say you have tried it out a few times and doesn't seem to work for you. I would say it is one of two things: (a) decrease in volume either messes with your head or your body reacts well to volume or (b) not decreasing it enough does not allow your body to recover enough to complete a true max testing.

If you have tried both of his 12 week prep workouts and neither worked I would change them up in the next few testing weeks to see if you can figure out what works for you.

If you have not tried his alternate, I would start there. If you have I would start with minor tweaks, maybe only changing one or two things each test week to see what works. Seems like his normal training is working for you, so only changing the week 12 stuff is what I would recommend.

Things I would look at changing:

If you did better on the normal 12 week prep, maybe doing multiple 1 rep sets for days 1 and 2: Work up to warmups/openers and do 3 sets of 1 rep each or possibly doing 2 sets of 2 reps. I usually try to open with something I can do for a double to make sure I get the lift.

If you did better on the alternate 12 week prep, maybe doing D1, D2, and move D3 to D5 or so.

For me, I find giving myself almost 1 week to recoup works best when going into a meet. You might find that useful (see my recommended changes for the alternate week for a similar approach). You might find that keeping the intensity and volume high better leading into the testing (see my recommended changes for the regular week 12 prep).

The more I read back through the past couple days of training, the more I think you are not recovering properly for a 1 RM test/competition. You did a lot of work (4 reps) on Monday where you were only 10 lbs less than your opener for bench and 5 lbs more on squat. Then you did a few drop sets. I think giving yourself only 2 days to recover to test out your openers is not enough. That is most likely why you felt that they were sluggish/hard. Seeing as you are testing maxes on Saturday, you are not giving yourself a full week of prep. If that is what you were doing in the past I would say that you are shorting yourself IMO. I would not lift again until you test maxes on Saturday to give yourself the best shot at doing well.

Hopefully weaz can come in and figure things out as I haven't been following your training cycle too closely.

Reviewing programming from the last time I hit a 1RM squat PR (May 2015 LOL) and found these gems.

Confirming I continued training but never hit 405. Quick_Ben, please pay the man.

thanks skeletor

I like this

Agree with Skel. Usually start about 10-14 days out getting in advance of a meet. I really believe in super compensation and that you need to purposely put yourself into recovery then hit your meet. Recovery has a lot of variables (sleep, food, prior training intensity, age, etc.) but in general, I would tell you to start 10 days out and then take several days off before the meet.

Also, just as a side note, you know that super hot yoga instructor likes you, right?

Damn, I completely forgot about that

BPA,

I've considered the possibility

Reading comprehension FTL, IMO. Seems like Aidan needs to pay Quickly Banned as Aidan clearly stated he wanted to back you for making 405.

I agree with everyone that you aren't tapering long or hard enough.

My question though is why do u even need to do a mock meet? A proper taper is gonna take 7-10 days plus you will be fried after the mock meet if it's anything like a real one. Why waste the time. Just go straight into your next training cycle imo, if you need to update maxes you can estimate.

Alternatively to that why don't you do a real meet? You're obviously strong enough to not embarrass yourself and you actually might be strong enough to win.

ah, this is correct, I got it backwards

Aidan, pay up or be known as a welcher

Agree with abrahamovic...

If it's just to hit numbers, you can program in a singles RM day for any of the mains and cycle around them. Won't be quite the same obv but on a percentage basis it will be close.

abe,

I have the same perspective and last time decided what you suggest, skipped max week and continued training by restarting the cycle. This weekend is an exception because my gym buddies are maxing out and it will be fun to participate with them regardless of results.

Nothing to add about your thoughts on actually competing.

If you are planning on making your annual pilgrimage to the North Pole to help with Christmas Prep, we usually have a meet in November/December that you can complete in on your way by!

max out session was fun but nothing special, 315 competition bench tho was kind of special

still training HAM, still spending about 15 miles a week on the bike and 9-12 hours a week in the gym

around 180lbs now but still looking decent imo so the donut bulk and the gainz will continue

neat to see me at 180lbs when I was untrained vs now

2013 180lbs



2016 180lbs



#bodybydonuts

Sick

Mirin

Elf roids work good

Well consider that the normal, native Elf diet is a bunch of sugar and fats....

siiick

Thanks everyone. I give a special shout out to skeletor for always encouraging me to eat more donuts.

Basically only logging now if something happens outside the norm, I figure no one is interested in the slight variance and only occasional progress that is my log.

Hit some nice numbers recently.

Comp bench 275x5 and 295x2
Squat 315x5 and 345x2 (hope KY is quaking in his ****ing boots)
DL 405x2

DL was today. 405 ****ing flew up, so I went for 420x2, which would have been my first DL PR in two years. Ugh, first rep was hard and slow so I didn't go for the second. Disappointed with myself because I'd committed to going for two reps NO MATTER WHAT, and video shows I was good for a second rep, but in the moment I said LOL **** this. That's what happens when you lose heart!

Still counting that DL as a milestone since the last time I hit 405 for more than a single, my back was hunched over in the official position of the Assani Pull.

And the guy has body image issues.


Sigh. It's like Bill Gates saying he broke.

Legend